Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

Why do city-dwellers more and more often receive diagnoses of depression with no visible cause? Why have panic attacks long become a hallmark of our times? Why do symptoms of post-traumatic disorder show up in those who suffered no trauma at all? What is our society really sick with? These unexpected questions are answered in an unanticipated way by military journalist and director Sebastian Junger. His TED talk made some listeners literally cry, while others were filled with righteous anger. This book, continuing both his lectures and scientific articles, explains how the structure of modern society affects the human psyche. Drawing on anthropology, the author convincingly proves: it isn’t wars, personal losses, or natural catastrophes that traumatize us—we’re traumatized by disconnection and isolation. And after proving it, he offers a simple, yet infinitely complex, recipe for healing.